President Obama's announcement Tuesday of his plan to increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan drew mixed responses from Wisconsin lawmakers.
The plan, which calls for the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops by next summer, also has the goal of beginning to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan in July 2011.
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-WI, said he agrees with Obama's decision to employ a troop surge.
""Any plan should have measurable objectives so that our troops have clear direction and so we know if we are succeeding,"" Kind said in a statement. ""I am pleased that President Obama is focused on an exit strategy so our troops will not be in Afghanistan one day longer than what is necessary.""
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-WI, said in a statement that he is ""thankful"" for Obama's decision to send additional troops to Afghanistan.
""It is my sincere hope that [Obama's] strategy succeeds,"" he said.
Other legislators, such as U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI, and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, are not so pleased with Obama's decision and have openly condemned it.
Baldwin, who voted to send troops to Afghanistan in 2001, said in a statement, ""I believe our current actions in Afghanistan and President Obama's proposal for moving forward bear little resemblance to that original, narrowly-focused mission.""
Feingold echoed that sentiment in a statement, saying, ""It's an expensive gamble to undertake armed nation-building on behalf of a corrupt government of questionable legitimacy.""
Feingold also said he appreciated Obama's effort to make it known America has no intention of being in Afghanistan forever.
However, the senator said he is ""disappointed"" by the lack of an official timetable for ending American military presence in Afghanistan.
